G5 (Group of Five) schools now have the automatic opportunity to qualify for the CFP. Teams like Liberty, Boise State, Memphis, and San Diego State will be fighting for a spot in the national title picture. Normally reserved for the power conferences, the College Football Playoff system has moved from four to twelve teams. One of the caveats was guaranteeing G5 programs at least one spot among the twelve.
G5 Top Ten College Football Playoff Contenders
No. 10 UTSA Roadrunners
Gone is longtime quarterback Frank Harris, but UTSA still has a gunslinger in Owen McCown. He has two very good wide receivers in Devin McCuin and the returning De’Corian Clark. Clark missed basically the entire 2023 season due to a knee injury and subsequent surgery. Running back Kevorian Barnes had a somewhat disappointing season but is primed for a bounce back in 2024. Barnes and Robert Henry form one of the better backfields among G5 teams.
No. 9 Texas State Bobcats
Jordan McCloud transferred in from James Madison after a stellar 2023 season. Joey Hobart and Kole Wilson may be the best wide receiver duo in the G5. Hobart could push for All-American recognition in 2024. Ismail Mahdi is also back at running back. Last season, he ran for 1,331 yards and 10 touchdowns and would’ve been highly sought after by Power Four schools had he entered the transfer portal.
No. 8 Fresno State Bulldogs
Quarterback Mikey Keene, running back Malik Sherrod, and wide receiver Jalen Moss are a terrific trio for Fresno State to build their offense on. As a freshman, Moss caught 55 passes for 706 yards and six touchdowns. Now the focal point of the passing game, Moss and Keene should have a great connection. Sherrod is considered to be one of the best running backs in the G5.
No. 7 Tulane Green Wave
Gone is Michael Pratt (NFL), Jha’Quan Jackson (NFL), and Chris Brazzell (Transferred to Tennessee), but the Green Wave hit the transfer portal pretty hard this offseason. Former four-star recruit Ty Thompson transferred in from Oregon to compete with Kai Horton for the starting quarterback job. Tulane also grabbed Mario Williams (USC) and Shazz Preston (Alabama) out of the portal. Both were four-star recruits when they came out of high school. Makhi Hughes is among the top G5 running backs with Ismail Mahdi, Malik Sherrod, Liberty’s Quinton Cooley, and Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty
No. 6 South Florida Bulls
Byrum Brown is arguably the second-best quarterback in G5. He and wide receiver Sean Atkins are a tremendous duo in Alex Golesh’s offense. Golesh brought his scheme over from Tennessee last season, where he previously served as Josh Heupel’s offensive coordinator.
G5 Top Five CFP Contenders
No. 5 Appalachian State Mountaineers
Joey Aguilar threw for 3,757 yards and 33 touchdowns in 2023. Back for the 2024 season, Aguilar and wide receiver Kaedin Robinson hooked up for big numbers last season. Robinson had 67 receptions, 905 yards, and 10 touchdowns in 2023. Appalachian State will compete with Texas State, Troy, James Madison, and Coastal Carolina for the Sun Belt title and a chance at the College Football Playoff.
No. 4 San Diego State Aztecs
Sean Lewis was hired as the new head coach at San Diego State this offseason. The former Colorado offensive coordinator is known for his offensive system that gives quarterbacks multiple open targets. AJ Duffy transferred in from Florida State and should be given every opportunity to succeed. Running back Marquez Cooper transferred in from Ball State after beginning his career at Kent State. Cooper has three consecutive 1,000-yard seasons to his credit and is a G5 lifer.
No. 3 Memphis Tigers
Quarterback Seth Henigan is an under-the-radar NFL prospect for the 2025 draft. Henigan has thrown for 10,764 yards and 79 touchdowns in his three seasons as the Tigers starting QB. Running back Mario Anderson transferred in from South Carolina, where he led the Gamecocks in rushing in 2023. G5 defenses should be quite a bit easier to run on. Roc Taylor and Demeer Blamkumsee combined for nearly 2,000 yards last season and could both reach 1,000 yards in 2024.
No. 2 Boise State Broncos
Running Back Ashton Jeanty is the main focal point of the Boise State offense. One of the most versatile running backs in the country, Jeanty could work his way into being one of the top running backs selected in the 2025 NFL Draft. Quarterback Malachi Nelson was a five-star recruit who spent his first season at USC before hitting the transfer portal this offseason. Wide receivers Cam Camper (Indiana) and Chris Marshall (Ole Miss & Texas A&M) also transferred in. Marshall was also a five-star recruit, who ran into some trouble and both Texas A&M and Ole Miss. This is likely his last opportunity. G5 defenses could be in trouble when they play this Broncos team.
No. 1 Liberty Flames
Quarterback Kaidon Salter is one of the best players in the country, not just the G5. After starting his career at Tennessee, Salter transferred after being dismissed during his freshman year for multiple instances. Now at Liberty, he has turned his career around and is a dark horse Heisman candidate and draft prospect for 2025. Quinton Cooley is a powerful back, who burst onto the scene in 2023. Gone is wide receiver CJ Daniels, who transferred to LSU. Developing another go-to wide receiver will be the main thing, as Liberty plays one of the weakest schedules in the country, So, a 13-0 run though G5 competition and a CFP berth are there for the taking.
Important Games in the G5 Sphere
August 31: UNLV at Houston
September 7: Boise State at Oregon, Kansas State at Tulane, UTSA at Texas State, Appalachian State at Clemson
September 12: Arizona at Texas State
September 13: UNLV at Kansas
September 14: Memphis at Florida State, Tulane at Oklahoma
September 28: Liberty at Appalachian State, South Florida at Tulane, Fresno State at UNLV
October 5: Syracuse at UNLV
October 11: Memphis at South Florida
October 25: Boise State at UNLV
November 2: Memphis at UTSA, San Diego State at Boise State
November 16: San Diego State at UNLV
November 23: Western Kentucky at Liberty, Colorado State at Fresno State
November 28: Memphis at Tulane
November 30: Fresno State at UCLA, Oregon State at Boise State
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